Learning difficulties and the new literacy studies: a socially-critical perspective

Bill Green, Alex Kostogriz

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (Book)Researchpeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    During recent years government otherwise concerned with trimming public sector spending have often trumpeted 'funding packages' dedicated to improving 'literacy competence' among school-age and adult populations. At the same time, the higher classes would need 'superior education and superior cultivation', in order to 'know the things the working men know, only know them infinitely better in their principles and in their details'. New literacy practices are emerging around new technologies which are making ever deeper incursions into everyday social practices, spanning the range from leisure to work, via communications, business, trade, etc. The technology-mediated literacy which Jacques engaged at home, despite the fact that he finds typing laborious, is likewise a potentially powerful literacy, assuming an enterprise culture. This contrasts markedly with his response to school literacy practices where, if computers were employed, he would likely reject them in the same way that he rejected the technologies of conventional print.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationContextualising Difficulties in Literacy Development
    Subtitle of host publicationExploring Politics, Culture, Ethnicity and Ethics
    EditorsJanet Soler, Janice Wearmouth, Gavin Reid
    Place of PublicationLondon UK
    PublisherTaylor & Francis
    Chapter8
    Pages102-114
    Number of pages13
    Edition1st
    ISBN (Electronic)9781315015705
    ISBN (Print)0415289009, 9780415289016
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2002

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